For years, police dogs have been an integral part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for sniffing out explosive devices and other threats. Now they have some cybernetic support.
The Department of Homeland Security has developed a four-legged robot it plans to use in future raids. The agency revealed the new robot agent during a presentation at the 2024 Border Security Expo in Texas.
The robot dog, known as NEO, has a modified antenna array that agents will use to overload a suspect’s home network, which will disable devices that rely on Wi-Fi to function, such as security cameras and voice-activated digital cameras. Assistant (this may trigger other automated functions).
The bionic dog could also act as another pair of eyes and ears for the agent, adding another layer of security.
“NEOs can enter potentially dangerous environments, provide video and audio feedback to officers prior to entry, and allow them to communicate with those in the environment,” said Benjamin Huffman, director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). personnel to communicate. “NEOs carry onboard computers and antenna arrays that enable officers to create ‘denial of service’ events to disable ‘Internet of Things’ devices that could cause harm upon entry. “
The idea of a signal-jamming robot dog was reportedly first considered after a 2021 incident in which an alleged child sex abuser saw FBI agents preparing to enter his home through a doorbell camera and begin shooting , resulting in the death of two agents and the injury of three others.
The Department of Homeland Security isn’t the only law enforcement agency using robotic dogs. Massachusetts police are crediting a robotic dog with saving lives when it approached a home and a man was trapped inside with a weapon. (A robot dog was shot, but no police officers were injured.)
“This incident clearly demonstrates the benefits of a mobile platform capable of opening doors and climbing stairs during tactical missions involving armed suspects,” state police said in a statement. “In addition to providing critically important room clearing and situational awareness capabilities, Additionally, inserting a Roscoe into a suspect’s residence would prevent the insertion of a human operator during the response phase and potentially prevent police from engaging in the exchange of gunshots.”
Other law enforcement officials’ experiences were less positive. In 2021, the NYPD chose to put its K9 robot unit away amid community backlash over privacy and excessive displays of force.
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